Help with an Indian Dish Recommendation

I am looking for a specific Indian dish I had a long time ago and don't remember what it was called. It might be a Chicken Tikki Masala or Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) or something else altogether? I do know it was not overly spicy, very creamy, red based and it was eaten over basmati rice. Can someone give me more info? I can't tolerate something too spicy. Any suggestions would be appreciated. My DH has made reservations for Indian on Friday and I'm not sure which would be better or if it would be something else. I do love chicken. I'd also like suggestions for a recipe I could make at home.

Whoops- should have read your original post more carefully to see "red based" in your description! I'm red-faced....:)

I'm thinking you had chicken makhani, where the sauce is usually made up of spices, tomatoes, butter and yogurt or cream. I don't make it at home, so unfortunately don't have a good recipe to share. You may want to google images of "chicken makhani" or "Indian butter chicken" to see if those images look like what you had.

Enjoy your night out! If there's anything else that appeals to you on the menu, simply ask if you can have the spice level mild- often, that accomodation can often be made on the spot (e.g. the chefs simply add less cayenne powder to your order).

I've eaten at several different Indian restaurants and, come to think of it, don't think I have ver seen BOTH the Tikka masala and the Makhani on any one menu so maybe they are variations of each other. I'm not expert on that so I'll leave that for someone else to address.

I woudl say that I've never noticed either dish to be particularly spicy - both are a creamy, red/tomato-based curry sauce. I think you'd be fine with either one. It will also be very worthwhile for you to mention when you order that you would prefer it NOT be very spicy. They can then adjust the dish if necessary.

Very good suggestion. Its not that I don't like spicy, its just that my heartburn doesn't like it! I have been looking at some local Indian menus (we seem to have lots of them in our area) and you are right - its either one or the other as far as Tikka Masala or Makhani. I'm hoping someone can answer that question. The recipes I've seen for Makhani use raisins and I don't remember having raisins in mine (I don't care for raisins anyway).

I'd wager it was Chicken Tikka Masala, which is ubiquitous. It is very popular in the UK, where it was developed to please the local palate. I've heard it is the most popular restaurant dish there. The meat is boneless and the sauce is smooth. Chicken Makhani has bones, cashews in the sauce, and is not quite as common.Chicken korma is mild, too, a bit creamier, with a sauce that includes nuts and golden raisins. (You say you don't care for raisins - I love golden, loathe regular).

Cooks Illustrated has a fine recipe for CTM but like most Indian foods, there are a lot of ingredients. Occasionally I make a simplified version of CTM or korma, which isn't bad, but generally I leave my Indian food in more experienced restaurant hands.

Perhaps Chicken Makhini varies from one restaurant to another or one region to another. I've had it several places in my area (Washington, DC area) and it has never had cashews and I believe I've never had one with bone-in chicken either. Just what I've seen here...

My local Indian restaurant told me that chicken tikka masala and chicken makhani are the same, except that the first employs breast meat and the second thigh meat. Level of spice, I'm sure, varies according to the maker.